ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tidal Basin Group, a Rising Phoenix Holdings Corporation (RPHC) company and leading emergency management and disaster recovery firm, announces two key strategic hires to grow its mitigation and response practices – providing increased support to clients and furthering business growth initiatives.
Luis Avila joins Tidal Basin as an Assistant Vice President (AVP) leading its Mitigation practice. He brings more than 20 years of experience in leading pre- and post-disaster mitigation and recovery programs. Avila will oversee all mitigation operations and growth strategies. His extensive experience consists of over two decades in emergency and consequence management, preparedness, response, and recovery. He most recently held the position of Hurricane Sandy Hazard Mitigation Branch Chief under FEMA Region 2 for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In this role, he led a team of technical professionals responsible for FEMA’s second-largest mitigation grant program ($1.44 billion) in history while managing the Public Assistance 406 Mitigation Program. Avila also served as the Hazard Mitigation Director/Advisor to the Federal Coordinating Officer during the inception of the Hurricane Maria Response and Recovery in Puerto Rico, and was responsible for the implementation, coordination and execution of the largest mitigation grant program in FEMA’s history.
James K. Joseph joins the firm as Vice President of Response, overseeing all disaster response operations and growth strategies for the company. Joseph brings more than 15 years of senior leadership experience in both the private and public sectors. He joins directly from FEMA as the Regional Administrator where he was responsible for the agency’s response, recovery, preparedness, mitigation, grants, and mission support programs across the six-state region. He oversaw nearly 270 employees and an annual budget of $1.4 billion. In addition, from June 2020 to January 2021, Joseph served as the Director of External Affairs in Washington, DC during the historic Whole of America response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 hurricane season. He also served as a member of Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner’s cabinet where he served in two capacities: Director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA), and Deputy State Homeland Security Advisor. In these roles, he oversaw Illinois’ disaster preparedness and response, nuclear safety and homeland security programs. Joseph further solidifies his experience with his previous tenure as Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for DuPage County (IL), and Vice President of Security and Fraud at HSBC North America, one of the world's largest banks.
“Luis and James are integral additions to the growth of Tidal Basin, and we couldn’t be happier to have them on board,” said Dan Craig, Chief Executive Officer of Tidal Basin. “Both have unmatched experience in emergency and disaster management and will provide the expertise needed to bolster the great work already being done and continue to support our clients and the firm’s strategic initiatives.”
About Tidal Basin
Tidal Basin is the nation’s leading emergency management and disaster recovery consulting firm providing deep programmatic and technical management experience and resources to governments, organizations, businesses, and communities. Our integrated disaster management solutions and expertise help our clients and partners achieve their disaster preparedness and recovery goals more effectively. Our understanding and ability to navigate all available funding sources enables us to provide maximum value by increasing the amount of funding our clients receive for programs that help improve their communities and businesses. To learn more about what we do and our team, visit tidalbasingroup.com.
